bestie brown sugar cookies

i haven't eaten lunch today. i didn't say i haven't eaten, just not anything that would classify as a sustainable meal. you see the reason is because my bestie over at thatsjustcrazypersontalk put out a cry for help. it was desperate. she loves chocolate chip-less cookies (that means she likes brown sugar cookies, if you were confused), and recently she has been on the hunt for the best, yes BEST brown sugar cookie recipe. since i have never made brown sugar cookies, i wasn't much help. well, i did tell her to search pinterest for recipes...but that wasn't super helpful, i guess. last week i received this text, "didn't you say your aunt makes good chocolate chip cookies?" i took the hint and got to work. today has been spent baking and sampling a modified version of my aunts recipe to create what i think is the perfect brown sugar cookie. remember though, this is the first and only time i have made or eaten brown sugar cookies...so my opinion may be a little under educated.  

let me walk you though my trials, as i worked out the details to perfection. 

batch one: a little flat and a little boring 

batch two: still flat, but sprinkled with brown sugar just as they came out of the oven. 

a little less boring. 

batch three: perfection. chilled dough, rolled into balls, dipped in brown sugar before baking. 

the biggest bummer is that we don't live close enough to sample together. i considered sending her a batch priority mail, but i decided that if she likes them, she need to learn how to make them. sorry. but i will share the recipe. i am calling them bestie brown sugar cookies. but please note, i am not claiming that they are the best, they were just created for my bestie. got it? good. 

bestie brown sugar cookies 

2 1/4 cups flour

1t baking soda 

1t salt 

1 cup butter, softened 

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 small package of vanilla pudding mix 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

2 t vanilla 

2 large eggs

extra brown sugar for topping

combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl, set aside. beat butter, granulated sugar, pudding mix, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. add eggs one and a time and beat well. gradually beat in flour mixture. 

cover and chill for at least one hour. 

just before baking, roll dough into balls and dip the tops into a bowl of brown sugar. place onto greased cookies sheet, do not flatten. bake for 9-10 minutes at 375 degrees. let cool on pan for one minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

mmm, mmm, good. the only thing i may have done differently is used dark brown sugar. i think it would have given the cookies a prettier color. other than that all i have to say is... brown sugar, why do you taste so good?